Quality of life assessments in clinical practice using either the EORTC-QLQ-C30 or the SEIOQL-DW: a randomized study.

Background: Effective patient-physician communication can improve patient understanding, agreement on treatment and adherence. This may, in turn, impact on clinical outcomes and patient quality of life (QoL). One way to improve communication is by using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).

Barriers against psychosocial communication: oncologists' perceptions.

Purpose: To explore oncologists' psychosocial attitudes and beliefs and their perceptions regarding barriers against psychosocial communication.

Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to oncologists in Sweden (n = 537). Questions covered demography, the Physician Psychosocial Beliefs Scale (PPBS), and barriers against psychosocial communication.

Different perspectives on communication quality and emotional functioning during routine oncology consultations.

Objective: To determine quality of communication in routine oncology consultations from patient, physician, and observer perspectives, and to determine agreement of emotional function content in consultations from these three perspectives.

Methods: In total, 69 consultations were included. Perceived quality of communication and whether or not emotional functioning had been discussed was evaluated with patient- and physician-reported questionnaires.

Communication analysis in oncology care. Performance of a combination of a content analysis system and a global scale.

Objective: The aim was to assess the feasibility and reliability of Velikova's Content Analysis System (VCAS) and the Medical Interaction Process System (MIPS) global scale for evaluation of communication in oncology care.

Methods: Seventy routine physician consultations with gastro-intestinal (GI) cancer patients were audio-recorded. Two coders applied VCAS and MIPS global scale to the consultations.

Patients' understanding of the concepts of health and quality of life.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify how persons' with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) understand the concepts of health and quality of life (QoL).

Methods: A phenomenograpic approach was used to gauge variations in understanding of health and QoL. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 22 persons having RA.

Patient-physician communication during oncology consultations.

Objective: The aim of this study was to characterize the content of patient-physician communication in standard oncology care.

Methods: The sample consisted of 19 patients with gastrointestinal cancer. The consultations were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed according to qualitative content analysis.